Valve operating assembly



July 5, 1932. TT, JR 1,865,998

VALVE OPERATING ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 23. 1929 INVENTO ATTORNEY Patented July 5, 1932 ADRIAN 0. item, 3 or enossn rornrn max, uranium vn'r'ivn ornnn'rme ASSEMBLY Application filed October 23,;i9z9. 'serialn ioncssx This invention has to dowithapoppet valve operating construction such as the poppet valves so extensively used'in, internal combustion engines;

More particularly, the invention is direct-v ed towards the provision oia' construction designed to minimize the so-called tappet noise which accompanies poppetvalves. win this regard the present invention: contemplates a construction which embodies. the general principles disclosed in my patent application Serial No. 287,194, filed June21, 1928. Thepresent invention is directed-{to the provision of an assembled. unit embodying, in the main, a ball and socket assembly form. L 3

which can be handled and-installed as. a unit, thus to facilitate assembling, repairing, replacing adjusting, or otherhandlingzoperations, and making it unnecessary to handle the several pieces of'the assembly individually. r m I In the accompanying-drawing; j Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a ball and sock? et assembly as contemplated bythe. present invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same and also illustrating .howthe same functions in the presence of oil. f A

Fig. 3 illustrates the method of assembly or'disassembly. A

Fig. 4 is a top plan view illustrating a modifiedform.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the modified Fig. 6 is a top plan view of a further, modified form. V

Fig. '7 is an assembly view-with some, parts .in sectionand othersicut, in illustration of a poppet valve. and its operating mechanism.

In the application above. mentionedthere is described and claimed a construction for poppet valveoperation which embodies a .ball and socket installed in-the valve assembly-in such a manner that the usual clearance between the valve stem and the tappet takes place between the ball and its socket. Oil is present and enters the space between the ball and socket so that whe'ni the ball jand socket are forced towards eachother in yalve lifting operation there is" an-oil cushion Which'deadens the noiseof the two spaced parts striking'each other. The details o f-the operation need not be gone into further in. the present: case for the abovebrief description wills'uflice' herein. p I Y By referring to'Fig. -7 a-conventional poppet valve is "illustrated at 1 having a stem 2 'andthe valve is actedupon by a spring 3 in sucha manner as to seat the valve' on a valve seat (notzsho'vvn). :A push rod is shown at .4 which is actedupon-by an open cam 5 and associated with the push :rod is a'va'lve tappet member 6 preferably arranged for adjustment relative to the push rod as bymeans of ascrew threaded "connection therewith as: shown in? and the employment ofalocknutS. 5 This valvetappet member, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, is shaped .to provide a socket forthe receptionof a ball member QpreferabIy havinga flat surface lOfivhich is hereinafterreferred to as a fiat-sided ball.

The valve stem 2 in the completed assembly contacts with the fiatside of the ball. 1 x The ball .and ,socket construction issuch that thesentwo members maybe mountedtogether 4 in an assembly and handled andfinstalled as such. The socket member compriseswhat may be termed'a socket proper having-curved walls 11 against which the ball is adapted to seat. Also adepre'ssion or well 12 may be provided for the reception ofja spring 13 arrangedto act upon theball. The walls of the socket member are designed so that the ball may be retained therein and prevented fromfalling out of the socketwhen the same is being handledprior to assembly into an engine. For example, the ballmay beiurged'out of-the socket y Y the spring 13, or else even without the spring it I would i not remain in the socket without holdingmeans. Accordingly, the walls of the socket may be and preferably are-designed-to extend above 1 the fcenterline of theball and' claws or projecti'ons are punched or peen'ed over, the same i being illustrated at "14, ffora-the purpose 1 of holding the ball in'place- As shown in Fig.

'1" two .1 claws may be Iutilized and positioned 5 oppositely the} distance between the claws is les'sthan thej'diameter offthe'jball, and ac- V movement to position the flat sideup wardly.

. In this manner the entire assembly comprising the socket, the spring. and the ball, may be made up by the manufacturer and shipped as such. to the users, such as, auto mobile-.manufaeturers, and also. installed as such. Two or more claws'may be utilized. and aslillustr'atedinFig. 4 there arethree equally spaced around the periphery edge of the socket. 'In, thisform; some modification is necessary in. order to get the ball in and out of; the'so'cket and a sishown-in'Fig. 5., the balLhasits flat located closer torits center line in order that its short dimension will be such asto clearthe claTWs.

A further modification isshown in Fig. 6

wherein the. entire edge. of the socketis Whereas in? the other forms embodying the.

turned over asat 15; this may be done by a. spinning operation. In; this form however, when the assembly is .once constructed. it cannot be disassembled and in fact'the parts must be assembled before the edge is. turned over,

claws-each. part including the, socket may be in. finishedform and assembly later made. Further, replacements ofanyone-element in theassembly cannotfbe accomplishedin this form as is can with the others- Where either the socket, the ball, orthe spring may bereplaced.

- Thesocketzmember is designediso as to not follow the curvature of the .ball above its center line" and to. accomplish this, the same may- 'be counter-boredas at 16. T-his provides'a'pocket 17'. Thelpurpose ofthisl will be. understood: When the. reference.- is; made toithe operation ofsthe construction.

7 Inapoppet valve assembly in angengine there-is a. clearance, between-the. valve stem fandthevalve tappet, during the. dwellpe- .riod of-the cam and While the valve is. seated. This clearance varies in different engines but as a rule the clearance runs around-1.006 to .008. of an. inch." "Inasmuch 'asthis-clear- ;ance isto take place .betiveen'theball" and the. socket it is necessary that; the pron-gs 14* and/or the; spun-over edge 15'be; positioned so .that the clearance between the same on. the ballwhen the xball is. seated rin-iits I .socketis. sufficient to takecare of thisc'learance..-

advantageous manner of doing this is toallow a clearance between theball land i the prongslor edge} 15', when; the.-- ball is. seated, which willepermit'lthe. ball to-move away. from itsfseat 'a-fsuflicient. distance to take care of any valve tappet clearance. By doing this a suflicient clearance is provided to take care of all of the desired clearance in valve construction Whether small or great. For example the construction may permit the ball and seat to separate as much as .02.

In making the assembly, the proper clearanQe. may be had by the .use of a suitable gauge disposed between the valve stem and the flat on the ball and adjusting the valve tappet member e-accordinglyi In the operation of this construction, a quantity of'oil becomes associated With the ball andsocket. Engines of various types are lubricated in different manners, as by oilg vapors, positive oil. pumping action, splash system, grazvity-flow system, or a; combination. ofthese', and: oil will collect, much after the'manner illustrated in. Fig 2 and indeed it is found; that there. will be adeposit of oil asillustrated. at 18which. will more or less, pile up onthe top-of-the socket member. During. the; dwell periodaof: the cam, the clearance. takes; place between. the ball and socket asillustra'ted in. Fig. 2'.With the flat side of the 'ballremaining; in. contact with thevalvestem. The spring 13 insures this operation. although. the spring is; not absolutely necessary-for. this purposeibecause the Hat side ofzthe ball and theistem Will tend .to. adhere to. each other: even-Without the springduei to the; oil:collection. At, this time -someof the OlliflOWSriIliiOhhG socket, and as the cam lifts-the pushmod thelball and socket are; brought togethen but are.- cushioned by a film of oil. There is a tendency then to force the oil out QfithG: socket proper, but. this is somewhat. restricted due tothe fact that the clearance; at the. point:- referenced 19.; is. less than the clearance near the bottom. of the socket. proper and the ball, and; accordingly, a. cushionv action. is. assuredon account of the egress of the oil being retarded. Accordingly, asthe ball; andsocketsrepeatedly, move toward and away from each other there-isanginfiow and outflowof oil. The-fact that the several parts are made up into a.unit;assembly byextending the walls of the socket member up above the center line of the. ball does not interfere withthe flow of. oil as the same readily passes through the pocket I? Withthetype shown in Fig. 6 wh'erein theentireed geofthe socket member is spunover there; will be 'a' restriction between the balland this spun-over edge} Whichwill affectthexin andoutfiow'. of the oil deposited on the top o ftliesocket member. :Hotve'ver, where the'cle'ar'ancebetween the ball 9 and its .s'eatl is not required to be great and;

provision is mad e for. a. relatively greater clearance by the arrangement. ofthe edge .of th'e. spun=over part ,15 lrelatiye to; the ball, a iflovv; of; oil-5 adequate; foryprovid ing; the

c shion ct; an a e a: n, h r ga d the pocket 17 may act as a reservoir for supplying the oil for in-and-out flow.

The assembly shown in Fig. 7 is one designed for use in the so-called L-head engine. Some engines employ overt-head valves in which event it may be necessary to associate the ball and socket with the valve stem instead of the push rod, but this is merely a reversal of points. tended to cover the same.

The construction which terms what is termed herein the pocket 17 may vary. The pocket 17 need not necessarily be counterbored below the center line of the ball. On the other hand the walls of the so-called pocket may rise from the center line of the ball without practically a counter-bore; thus the diameter of the pocket above the center line may be substantially equal to the diameter of the ball, or say .002 or .003 of an inch greater than the same. In any event a space is provided above the center line of the ball to permit it to move upwardly into this space and this is what is termed the pocket.

I claim:

1. In a ball and socket assembly adapted for use with valve operating mechanism, a socket, a flat sided ball therein, projections extending from the edge of the socket for,

The invention is in tween the valve member and actuating member whereby said clearance may take place between the ball and socket. v

4. For use in poppet valve mechanism in which there is a poppet valve member and a valve actuating member arranged for clearance between the valvemember and actuat 'ing member between successive valve movements by the actuating member, a' socket adapted to be connected to one of said members, a flat sided ball in the socket adapted to engage the other of said members with its 7 than the clearance between the valve member and actuating mmber whereby said clearance in the operation of the partsmay take place entirely socket.

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature.

" ADRIAN Q. ABBOTT, J

holding the ball in the socket, the dimension of the ball diametrically from its flat side being less than the distance between the projections whereby to permit placement and removal of the ball into and out of the socket when the same is turned with its flat portion v with its flat side upwardly as regards the projections.

2. In a ball and socket assembly adapted for use with valve operating mechanism comprising a socket member having a ball seat, a coil spring projecting through the seat, means adjacent the edge of the socket projecting inwardly thereof, a flat sided ball movable in the socket with its flat side adjacent a projection which has a. diameter greater than the distance between the projections whereby the socket, ball, and spring are held assembled by the projections when the flat side of the ball is positioned away from a projection.

3. The combination in a poppet valve mechanism wherein there is a poppet valve member and an actuating member for successively moving the valve and wherein a clearance space is provided between the valve member and actuating member between movements of the valve, a ball and socket construction comprising a socket associated with one of the members, a ball associated between the ball and its seat in the with the other member, means for holding the ball in the socket but permitting relative movement between the ball and socket which is greater than the clearance efl'ective be- 

